Where Computing and Business Intersect

Management Information Systems programs

The worlds of business and technology are increasingly one in the same. A fact that is made that much more critical by the rapid pace with which technology is evolving. This is the world that university graduates step into nowadays. Out of them, the former students who are best able to work with the latest tech, as well as articulate its usefulness in a business context will be best positioned to succeed.

For such reasons many, in both graduate and undergraduate studies, have decided to go into Management Information Systems (MIS). In addition to promoting a greater acumen and understanding of technology, students themselves come to learn about and design the systems utilized by today’s most modern businesses. They see exactly how such tech allows for managers to make the best possible decisions, not to mention promote ingenuity, efficiency, and added value within a company.

Who are MIS Students?

With a foot in each world, MIS students are those who understand both business and computing. MIS Students often can be the ones who communicate between ‘technically minded’ individuals and ‘management/business’ people. For this fact in particular, Computer Science students will sometimes realize they would prefer a career path that deals more with people, like MIS.

Being an up-and-coming program, and not as well-known yet, many have remarked that they wish they had heard of options like the program before starting their studies.

Rochester Institute of Technology in New York offer their MIS program that strives to give MIS majors both an understanding of core business fields like finance, marketing, and accounting, as well as proficiency with tech being used in the business world. Not to mention a willingness and ability to pick up new technical skills.

Many, such as the Innovation Center on RIT’s Campus, have remarked how MIS majors often are the student entrepreneurs who stand out; often because they can be the most comfortable fulfilling many different roles. To graduates from the program, like Deniz Kaya (class of 2010), that is a big reason why MIS students are seen as unique.

“[MIS students] have an interest in being technical, but also enjoy being client facing,” Kaya pointed out. “They want to be a part of both conversations.”

Read about the success of other RIT MIS graduates here.

MIS’s Place in Today’s World of Business

MIS coursework prepares students to work with the leading enterprise systems increasingly being employed by both established organizations and new entrepreneurs. They become familiarized with programs that can monitor complex business processes and practices (like SAP), and that provide new levels of business intelligence. MIS graduates are uniquely positioned to use such technology in a business setting.

It’s is because of the awareness and acumen MIS students come to possess that they are well suited for a variety of positions. It’s a varied list which includes: Business Analyst, Project Manager, Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Specialist, or Systems Analyst.

Innovative companies like Google, Space-X, IBM, Intuit, Toyota, Wegmans, JP Morgan Chase have been among those seeking out MIS majors for such positions. The potential business utility to be had from their skills makes MIS students a potential good fit for organizations within a variety of different fields.

Read more about the study components involved in the Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems at RIT here.

The Future for MIS Programs

An increasing amount of talented educators have begun to teach in MIS programs, because of the success had by many graduates. Talented students attracts talented faculty.

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook has shown just how promising the prospects for such graduates has become in recent years. For ‘Computer and Information Systems Managers’ for instance, a 15% projected growth between 2014 and 2024 (a rate that is much faster than average) has been predicted. Reported median pay in 2015 was also $131,600 a year as well.

MIS programs, at schools like RIT, are trying to make the most of these opportunities for their students; tweaking curriculums to promote an even greater understanding of modern tech and the skills necessary to use them – and learn more. Educators recognize the need to be as versatile as much as we wish for students to be.

MIS students not fearing that initially feeling of discomfort while learning about new tech is crucial. Learning to anticipate, not dread, continuing to learn is what will set them apart.

Kaya pointed out how many MIS students do wish to stay up-to-date with the latest tech. They know how it will make them better prepared for an ever evolving, increasingly tech focused, world.

Learn more about the MIS program at RIT here.

Saunders College of Business at RIT

Rochester Institute of Technology is one of the nation’s largest technical universities and graduates more STEM students than almost any other private university. As part of RIT, the MIS program at Saunders College is uniquely positioned for excellence and has become the largest and fasting growing business program. The program is recognized by USA Today College Factual, as the #10 MIS program in the nation. Students gain real world experience through an applied curriculum, and paid coop positions through one of the largest and oldest cooperative education programs in the world. Employers have also taken notice where they offer the highest salaries and typically cannot get enough MIS graduates each year.

Learn more about Saunders College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

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